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Volume XXIX, Issue 2
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Thursday, September 13, 2018
Police Answer Arrest Questions
Where Did the Red Hawk UPD discusses viral arrest video at open forum SGA meeting Dollars Go? Christina Urban News Editor
The University Police Department attended the Student Government Association’s first full body meeting.
Ben Caplan | The Montclarion
Returning Montclair State University residents in traditional housing may have noticed the absence of Red Hawk Dollars in their required meal plan. The program still exists but is no longer offered in meal plans. Red Hawk Dollars are prepaid credit that students use for on-campus purchases ranging from food to books. They can also be used at certain off-campus locations that participate in the program, like the Applebee’s in Clifton or Tinga in Upper Montclair. Manager of Dining Services James Robinson said that Red Hawk Dollars have been included in meal plans for the past three years as a trial to launch the university’s off-campus merchant program. This past spring a decision was made to only include Flex dollars in meal plans, which are used solely for food items on campus, whereas Flex and Red Hawk Dollars used to be offered together. Robinson said Dining Services is working to create new technology that lets students enroll in, cancel or change meal plans through smartphones, tablets and computers. “The goal is to eliminate the need for paper forms,” Robinson said. “The new technology can only accept one form of tender associated with a meal plan, and that tender will be Flex Dollars.” w Students have taken to social media to complain about the disappearance of Red Hawk Dollars in meal plans, including the fact that they used the Red
Shortly after a video of Montclair State University police arresting two people at gunpoint on campus went viral, concerns of excessive force made their way to the Student Government Association (SGA). Police officers from the University Police Department (UPD) attended the SGA’s first full body meeting of the semester, responding to students who questioned the video’s events. SGA secretary Jillian Royal said the executive board realized how serious the issue was and carefully put together their statement.
“We wanted to make sure we were respectful of all students in touch of the issue at hand,” Royal said. The SGA released a statement in response to the video several days after the incident occurred. “We have contacted University Police regarding the department’s procedures to be better informed and understand their actions and decisions,” the statement said. “We will make this information available to all students.” SGA President Serafina Genise said the police were not going to come to the meeting because they do not usually attend open forums, but University Police Chief Paul Cell emailed the SGA the day of
the event saying they would attend. After the SGA introduced themselves, everyone in attendance could write a question for the UPD on a notecard. Once cards were collected, Vice President Emma Rush read the questions and concerns for Cell to respond to. The forum consisted of 28 questions, mostly written by people choosing to remain anonymous. Questions included inquiries about the procedures the UPD is required to follow, concerns about how much force and the weapons used to arrest the two people in the video, and how the campus community could strengthen the relationship between the students and police.
Information in Cell’s responses include: The UPD follows attorney general requirements for police to undergo racial and cultural sensitivity training and will be holding extra forums not required by the attorney general to strengthen relationships with communities that have historically been in conflicts with police. The UPD has spent the last two years making arrangements for all officers to have body cams. Since the arrest occurred, the university administration has reached out to the two students from the video who were searched by police.
NEWS
FEATURE
OPINION
ENTERTAINMENT
SPORTS
p. 3 Hope in the Form of Hennas
p. 4 Montclair State University: Continuing to ‘Seize the Day’ 110 Years Later
p. 8 CAPS on Lock?
p. 12 Montclair State Reacts to Mac Miller’s Death
p. 20 Red Hawks Football Wins Home Opener
Christina Urban News Editor Sam Carliner Staff Writer
SGA continued on Page 3
Red Hawk continued on Page 2